JERUSALEM NEWS
NEWS AND INFORMATION
Events, happenings, and Opinions Concerning
Israel, Israelites, Judah, and Everyone Else
Jerusalem News-770
Jerusalem News-770
13 Iyar 5768, 18th May 2008
Contents:
1. Australia mulls court action against
Iran president over Israel
2. Speech of President Bush to the Knesset
3. Ex-Israeli AF chief: Thousands of missiles may hit Israel population in
future war
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1. Australia mulls court action against Iran president over Israel
http://www.ejpress.org/article/26988
by: AFP Updated: 14/May/2008 08:01
SYDNEY (AFP)---Australia is considering taking Iran's president to the
International Court of Justice for inciting violence against Israel, Prime
Minister Kevin Rudd said Wednesday.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had said the Jewish state should be wiped
off the map and the government was taking legal advice on launching a case
against him at the international court in the Hague, Rudd said.
"The Iranian president's repeated extraordinary statements, which are
anti-Semitic and expressing a determination to eliminate the modern state of
Israel from the map, are appalling by any standards of current international
relations," he told Sky News.
"They are an incitement of international violence and what we have said in the
past is that we will take legal advice, which the attorney-general is currently
doing, on whether there is a profitable way forward here through the appropriate
international legal mechanisms and we'll study that advice carefully."
Rudd was commenting on a report in The Australian newspaper that he had promised
Australia's Jewish community last year that if he won power in November
elections his government would act against Ahmadinejad.
Iran does not recognize Israel and since becoming president in
2005 Ahmadinejad has repeatedly provoked international outrage by predicting
that Israel is doomed to disappear.
He has also caused controversy by playing down the scale of the Holocaust.
Rudd said the comments were "dangerous stuff" in the context of international
relations.
"It's not just hyperbole from the bully pulpit of Tehran, it's the roll-on
effect across the Islamic world, particularly those who listen to Iran for their
guidance," he said.
Attorney-General Robert McClelland confirmed to The Australian that the
government was seeking legal advice on taking Ahmadinejad to the International
Court of Justice.
"The government considers the comments made by Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, calling for the destruction of Israel and questioning the existence
of the Holocaust, to be repugnant and offensive," McClelland said.
"The government is currently taking advice on this matter."
In February, Iran's ambassador in Canberra said he hoped for a good relationship
with the new government, particularly given Rudd's vow to pull combat troops
from Iraq.
"We are hoping that the new government adopts a better policy and we are hopeful
of having a better relationship with the Australian government in the future,"
Mahmoud Movahhedi said at the time.
2. Speech of President Bush to the
Knesset
Office of the White House Press Secretary
May 15, 2008
President Bush Addresses Members of the Knesset
The Knesset
Jerusalem
www.whitehouse.gov:80/news/releases/2008/05/20080515-1.html
2:55 P.M. (Local)
THE PRESIDENT: President Peres and Mr.
Prime Minister, Madam Speaker, thank
very much for hosting this special session. President
Beinish,
Leader of the
Opposition Netanyahu, Ministers, members of the Knesset, distinguished
guests: Shalom. Laura and I are thrilled to be back in Israel. We have been
deeply moved by the celebrations of the past two days. And this afternoon, I
am honored to stand before one of the world's great democratic assemblies
and convey the wishes of the American people with these words: Yom
Ha'atzmaut
Sameach.
(Applause.)
It is a rare privilege for the American President to speak to the Knesset.
(Laughter.) Although the Prime Minister told me there is something even
rarer -- to have just one person in this chamber speaking at a time.
(Laughter.) My only regret is that one of Israel's greatest leaders is not
here to share this moment. He is a warrior for the ages, a man of peace, a
friend. The prayers of the American people are with Ariel Sharon.
(Applause.)
We gather to mark a momentous occasion. Sixty years ago in Tel Aviv, David
Ben-Gurion proclaimed Israel's independence, founded on the "natural right
of the Jewish people to be masters of their own fate." What followed was
more than the establishment of a new country. It was the redemption of an
ancient promise given to Abraham and Moses and David -- a homeland for the
chosen people Eretz
Yisrael.
Eleven minutes later, on the orders of President Harry Truman, the United
States was proud to be the first nation to recognize Israel's independence.
And on this landmark anniversary, America is proud to be Israel's closest
ally and best friend in the world.
The alliance between our governments is unbreakable, yet the source of our
friendship runs deeper than any treaty. It is grounded in the shared spirit
of our people, the bonds of the Book, the ties of the soul. When William
Bradford stepped off the Mayflower in 1620, he quoted the words of Jeremiah:
"Come let us declare in Zion the word of God." The founders of my country
saw a new promised land and bestowed upon their towns names like Bethlehem
and New Canaan. And in time, many Americans became passionate advocates for
a Jewish state.
Centuries of suffering and sacrifice would pass before the dream was
fulfilled. The Jewish people endured the agony of the pogroms, the tragedy
of the Great War, and the horror of the Holocaust -- what
Elie
Wiesel
called
"the kingdom of the night." Soulless men took away lives and broke apart
families. Yet they could not take away the spirit of the Jewish people, and
they could not break the promise of God. (Applause.) When news of Israel's
freedom finally arrived, Golda
Meir, a fearless woman raised in
Wisconsin,
could summon only tears. She later said: "For two thousand years we have
waited for our deliverance. Now that it is here it is so great and wonderful
that it surpasses human words."
The joy of independence was tempered by the outbreak of battle, a struggle
that has continued for six decades. Yet in spite of the violence, in
defiance of the threats, Israel has built a thriving democracy in the heart
of the Holy Land. You have welcomed immigrants from the four corners of the
Earth. You have forged a free and modern society based on the love of
liberty, a passion for justice, and a respect for human dignity. You have
worked tirelessly for peace. You have fought valiantly for freedom.
My country's admiration for Israel does not end there. When Americans look
at Israel, we see a pioneer spirit that worked an agricultural miracle and
now leads a high-tech revolution. We see world-class universities and a
global leader in business and innovation and the arts. We see a resource
more valuable than oil or gold: the talent and determination of a free
people who refuse to let any obstacle stand in the way of their destiny.
I have been fortunate to see the character of Israel up close. I have
touched the Western Wall, seen the sun reflected in the Sea of Galilee, I
have prayed at Yad
Vashem.
And earlier today, I visited
Masada, an inspiring
monument to courage and sacrifice. At this historic site, Israeli soldiers
swear an oath: "Masada
shall never fall again." Citizens of Israel:
Masada
shall never fall again, and America will be at your side.
This anniversary is a time to reflect on the past. It's also an opportunity
to look to the future. As we go forward, our alliance will be guided by
clear principles -- shared convictions rooted in moral clarity and
unswayed
by popularity polls or the shifting opinions of international elites.
We believe in the matchless value of every man, woman, and child. So we
insist that the people of Israel have the right to a decent, normal, and
peaceful life, just like the citizens of every other nation. (Applause.)
We believe that democracy is the only way to ensure human rights. So we
consider it a source of shame that the United Nations routinely passes more
human rights resolutions against the freest democracy in the Middle East
than any other nation in the world. (Applause.)
We believe that religious liberty is fundamental to a civilized society. So
we condemn anti-Semitism in all forms -- whether by those who openly
question Israel's right to exist, or by others who quietly excuse them.
We believe that free people should strive and sacrifice for peace. So we
applaud the courageous choices Israeli's leaders have made. We also believe
that nations have a right to defend themselves and that no nation should
ever be forced to negotiate with killers pledged to its destruction.
(Applause.)
We believe that targeting innocent lives to achieve political objectives is
always and everywhere wrong. So we stand together against terror and
extremism, and we will never let down our guard or lose our resolve.
(Applause.)
The fight against terror and extremism is the defining challenge of our
time. It is more than a clash of arms. It is a clash of visions, a great
ideological struggle. On the one side are those who defend the ideals of
justice and dignity with the power of reason and truth. On the other side
are those who pursue a narrow vision of cruelty and control by committing
murder, inciting fear, and spreading lies.
This struggle is waged with the technology of the 21st century, but at its
core it is an ancient battle between good and evil. The killers claim the
mantle of Islam, but they are not religious men. No one who prays to the God
of Abraham could strap a suicide vest to an innocent child, or blow up
guiltless guests at a Passover Seder, or fly planes into office buildings
filled with unsuspecting workers. In truth, the men who carry out these
savage acts serve no higher goal than their own desire for power. They
accept no God before themselves. And they reserve a special hatred for the
most ardent defenders of liberty, including Americans and Israelis.
And that is why the founding charter of
Hamas
calls for the "elimination" of
Israel. And that is why the followers of Hezbollah chant "Death to Israel,
Death to America!" That is why
Osama bin Laden teaches that "the
killing of
Jews and Americans is one of the biggest duties." And that is why the
President of Iran dreams of returning the Middle East to the Middle Ages and
calls for Israel to be wiped off the map.
There are good and decent people who cannot fathom the darkness in these men
and try to explain away their words. It's natural, but it is deadly wrong.
As witnesses to evil in the past, we carry a solemn responsibility to take
these words seriously. Jews and Americans have seen the consequences of
disregarding the words of leaders who espouse hatred. And that is a mistake
the world must not repeat in the 21st century.
Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and
radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been
wrong all along. We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks
crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: "Lord, if I could
only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided." We have an
obligation to call this what it is -- the false comfort of appeasement,
which has been repeatedly discredited by history. (Applause.)
Some people suggest if the United States would just break ties with Israel,
all our problems in the Middle East would go away. This is a tired argument
that buys into the propaganda of the enemies of peace, and America utterly
rejects it. Israel's population may be just over 7 million. But when you
confront terror and evil, you are 307 million strong, because the United
States of America stands with you. (Applause.)
America stands with you in breaking up terrorist networks and denying the
extremists sanctuary. America stands with you in firmly opposing Iran's
nuclear weapons ambitions. Permitting the world's leading sponsor of terror
to possess the world's deadliest weapons would be an unforgivable betrayal
for future generations. For the sake of peace, the world must not allow Iran
to have a nuclear weapon. (Applause.)
Ultimately, to prevail in this struggle, we must offer an alternative to the
ideology of the extremists by extending our vision of justice and tolerance
and freedom and hope. These values are the self-evident right of all people,
of all religions, in all the world because they are a gift from the Almighty
God. Securing these rights is also the surest way to secure peace. Leaders
who are accountable to their people will not pursue endless confrontation
and bloodshed. Young people with a place in their society and a voice in
their future are less likely to search for meaning in radicalism. Societies
where citizens can express their conscience and worship their God will not
export violence, they will be partners in peace.
The fundamental insight, that freedom yields peace, is the great lesson of
the 20th century. Now our task is to apply it to the 21st. Nowhere is this
work more urgent than here in the Middle East. We must stand with the
reformers working to break the old patterns of tyranny and despair. We must
give voice to millions of ordinary people who dream of a better life in a
free society. We must confront the moral relativism that views all forms of
government as equally acceptable and thereby consigns whole societies to
slavery. Above all, we must have faith in our values and ourselves and
confidently pursue the expansion of liberty as the path to a peaceful
future.
That future will be a dramatic departure from the Middle East of today. So
as we mark 60 years from Israel's founding, let us try to envision the
region 60 years from now. This vision is not going to arrive easily or
overnight; it will encounter violent resistance. But if we and future
Presidents and future Knessets
maintain our resolve and have faith in our
ideals, here is the Middle East that we can see:
Israel will be celebrating the 120th anniversary as one of the world's great
democracies, a secure and flourishing homeland for the Jewish people. The
Palestinian people will have the homeland they have long dreamed of and
deserved -- a democratic state that is governed by law, and respects human
rights, and rejects terror. From Cairo to Riyadh to Baghdad and Beirut,
people will live in free and independent societies, where a desire for peace
is reinforced by ties of diplomacy and tourism and trade. Iran and Syria
will be peaceful nations, with today's oppression a distant memory and where
people are free to speak their minds and develop their God-given talents. Al
Qaeda
and Hezbollah and Hamas
will be defeated, as Muslims across the region
recognize the emptiness of the terrorists' vision and the injustice of their
cause.
Overall, the Middle East will be characterized by a new period of tolerance
and integration. And this doesn't mean that Israel and its neighbors will be
best of friends. But when leaders across the region answer to their people,
they will focus their energies on schools and jobs, not on rocket attacks
and suicide bombings. With this change, Israel will open a new hopeful
chapter in which its people can live a normal life, and the dream of
Herzl
and the founders of 1948 can be fully and finally realized.
This is a bold vision, and some will say it can never be achieved. But think
about what we have witnessed in our own time. When Europe was destroying
itself through total war and genocide, it was difficult to envision a
continent that six decades later would be free and at peace. When Japanese
pilots were flying suicide missions into American battleships, it seemed
impossible that six decades later Japan would be a democracy, a lynchpin of
security in Asia, and one of America's closest friends. And when waves of
refugees arrived here in the desert with nothing, surrounded by hostile
armies, it was almost unimaginable that Israel would grow into one of the
freest and most successful nations on the earth.
Yet each one of these transformations took place. And a future of
transformation is possible in the Middle East, so long as a new generation
of leaders has the courage to defeat the enemies of freedom, to make the
hard choices necessary for peace, and stand firm on the solid rock of
universal values.
Sixty years ago, on the eve of Israel's independence, the last British
soldiers departing Jerusalem stopped at a building in the Jewish quarter of
the Old City. An officer knocked on the door and met a senior rabbi. The
officer presented him with a short iron bar -- the key to the Zion Gate --
and said it was the first time in 18 centuries that a key to the gates of
Jerusalem had belonged to a Jew. His hands trembling, the rabbi offered a
prayer of thanksgiving to God, "Who had granted us life and permitted us to
reach this day." Then he turned to the officer, and uttered the words Jews
had awaited for so long: "I accept this key in the name of my people."
Over the past six decades, the Jewish people have established a state that
would make that humble rabbi proud. You have raised a modern society in the
Promised Land, a light unto the nations that preserves the legacy of Abraham
and Isaac and Jacob. And you have built a mighty democracy that will endure
forever and can always count on the United States of America to be at your
side. God bless. (Applause.)
3. Ex-Israeli AF chief: Thousands of
missiles may hit Israel population in future war
http://www.debka.com/index.php
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